Rural mailbox signal means



Sept. 9, 1952- R. H. LAWSON RURAL MAILBOX SIGNAL MEANS Filed May 18,1951 Raymond H. Lawson INVENTOR. I

Patented Sept. 9, 1952 UNITED "STATES PATENT omcs RURAL MAILBOX SIGNALMEAN S Raymond Lawson, Algonquin, 111.

Application May 18, 1951, Serial No. 227,055

2 Claims. 1

The present invention relates to certain new and useful improvements inrural mailbox constructions and has more particular reference to whatmay be identified as an added orauxiliary signal, that is, one which isused in addition to the regularly provided signalling flag and whichwill be of great benefit to the owner of the box in assisting him inassurin himself that the mail carrier has been to the box to either pickup mail or to deliver incoming mail, as the case may be.

Rural mailboxes having dual signalling devices to assist in mailcollection and delivering activities are, of course, not new. However,and despite the fact that others have attempted to solve the .problem ofsystematically handling outgoing and incoming mail, the problem does notseem to have been amply and satisfactorily solved. It is therefore thepurpose of the instant invention to structurally, functionally andotherwise improve upon prior art constructions.

Another somewhat general objective is to improve upon and reduce thenumber of parts entering into the combination, thereby not onlyincreasing the efficiency of the structure as a whole, but rendering thesame less costly to manufacture and to otherwise simplify factors ofassembling and sale.

What is more, it is an object to make no alterations in the present boxor the present flag signalling means but to simply add thereto the extrasignal and, in so doing, to more satisfactorily meet the requirementsand needs of manufactures and users.

Then, too, it is an object of the invention to provide an auxiliaryowner pick-up signal which is clearly visible from a point distant fromthe position of the mailbox and which is automatic in operation in thatas soon at the mail carrier opens the door or lid to place mail in thebox, the auxiliary signal comes into play without requiring anyattention whatsoever on the part of the mail carrier.

Other objects and advantages will become more readily apparent from thefollowing description and the accompanying sheet of illustrativedrawings.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of a rural mailbox of theconventional type with the improved auxiliary mail pick-up signalattached and in use.

Figure 2 is a view based on Figure 1 showing the lid or door swung openand down and with the pick-up signal in its ready-to-serve signallingposition.

Referring now tothe drawings by reference numerals and accompanying leadlines, the mailbox is denoted by the numeral '4 and is conventional andthe open end 6 thereof is closed by a lid or cover 8 hinged on the frontend of the box as at ID. This is a downwardly and outwardly swingingcover or lid such as is commonly employed. The upper crown portion ofthe lid or cover is provided with a catch I2 which has a detent i4 and afinger piece 16. The detent is adapted to snap into a keeper seat 18provided in the fixedly mounted catch 20. The latter also includes afinger piece '22. The numeral 24 designates the customary signallingflag which is used, almost invariably, on conventionaltype rural maildeliveryboxes. It is understood that the parts so fardescribed areconventional.

The invention has to do with the auxiliary signallingmeans 26 and thiscomprises a flexible chain or the like 28 which is fastened to an eye orequivalent bracket 30 on the bottom of the box and which has its otherfree end attached by way of an aperture 32 to a relatively rigidindicating or signalling tag or plate 34. The latter is painted somevivid color so that it can be seen from a distance. It has been thoughtof painting it yellow. The free end portion of the tag has a hang-uphole or keeper 36 and this adapted to be releasably engaged with akeeper or suspension hook 38 rigidly mounted on the central outersurface portion of the lid 8. The bill of the hook is such that it willrelease the tag and allow same to drop off the hook by the forces ofgravity.

The suspension or keeper hook I3 is a simple r gid bracket fastened andplaced in the position shown with the shank of the hook at right anglesto the door or cover and the bill of the hook upturned slightly. Bydetachably engaging the keeper hole 36 of the tag or signal 34 on thehook in the manner shown in Figure 1, the signal is set and ready foruse, obviously. This is the normal position since, when mail is in thebox to be collected or picked up by the mail carrier, the door is closedand the signalling flag 24 is up. When the mail carrier delivers themail and opens the door this operation permits the signalling tag orplate 24 to drop off on its own accord, this under the influences of theforces of gravity. What with the signalling plate or tag 24, hangingdown by way of the suspension chain 28, the owner will know either oneor two things that the carrier has been to the box and collected mailwhich was left therein for transmission through the mail services; orthat incoming mail has been deposited in the box by the mail carrier. Itis obvious therefore that the home owner will be relieved of muchguesswork and also relieved of the frequent needless trips that heotherwise makes to the mailbox only to find out that there is noincoming mail for him. What with the regularg flag and this auxiliarysignalling chain held plate 34, the over-all functions of the box willbe such as to meet the full needs and requirements of manufacturers,mail carriers and owners of rural delivery mailboxes.

A careful consideration of the foregoing description in conjunction withthe invention as illustrated in the drawings will enable the reader toobtain a clear understanding and impression of the alleged features ofmerit and novelty sufiicient to clarify the construction ofadapted toswing outwardly and downwardly relative to said open end, a chainsecured at one end to said bottom, a signalling plate secured at one endto the free end of said chain, and means for releasably mounting saidplate on the exterior surface of said door embodying a suspension hookfixedly secured to a central portion of said door, said plate beingpositioned against the exterior of said door and having a keeper holereleasably engageable with said hook, whereby when said door is swungopen, said plate automatically falls 01f of said hook and hangs down, byway of said chain, to a clearly discernible signalling position.

2. In a rural mailbox construction, in combination, a conventional-typerural-type mailbox closed at one end and open at the oppositemailinserting and removing end, a closing door for said open end, thelower end portion of said door being pivotally mounted on the bottom ofsaid box and said door being adapted to swing outwardly and thendownwardly to uncover the open end, a suspension hook fixedly secured tothe central exterior side of said door, a signalling plate having anapertured end portion suspended on said hook, and a chain attached atone end to said signalling plate and attached at its opposite end tosaid mailbox whereby, when the door is swung open, said signalling plateautomatically disengages itself from said door and drops from anon-signalling position on the door to a chain suspended signallingposition below said box.

RAYMOND H. LAWSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Coleman Jan. 5, 1932

